Donna M. Tarrant

Groton - Donna M. Tarrant, 75, of Groton, was surrounded by her loving family when she was taken from them on Monday, May 14, 2012, after her courageous fight against cancer.

Donna was born on the White Earth Indian Reservation in White Earth, Minn., on April 19, 1937, to the late Vitaline (LaGue) and Joseph Alford. Donna was raised on the reservation by her grandparents, Mary and Paul, until she was eight. After her grandmother passed away, her father moved her to Montana, and later to Miami, Fla. where she met her first husband, Roger Luck, in 1951. The family moved to Connecticut in 1968 and she lived in the City of Groton until her death. She married her present husband, Ron, in 1976.

Donna was a very loving woman, hospitable and most generous to anyone that crossed her path. She loved to cook large meals for family and friends, and prepare her delicious desserts. She loved family picnics at Gillette's Castle and Devil's Hopyard, family gatherings and traveling. Her family was always entertained by her storytelling about her childhood adventures on the White Earth Reservation and in Montana. She enjoyed playing cards at her kitchen table with family and friends while listening to WCTY. She enjoyed feeding the family dog, Pepper, spaghetti and loved her Siamese cats, especially Shami.

Donna worked as a nurse's aide at Brevard Memorial Hospital in Melbourne, Fla., and as a cook in several area nursing homes in Connecticut. She babysat for many children throughout the years who now consider her their second mom. She was a fine seamstress, sewing many outfits for her children and their Barbie dolls. She was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1958 and devoted many hours teaching others about the Bible. She recently retired from Lawncrest Apartments of Groton, where she worked for 16 years as manager.

Donna is survived by her husband of 36 "wonderful" years, Ron Tarrant; four children and their spouses, Kathryn (Luck) Brown-Tracy (Alan), Cherie (Luck) Eastty (Richard), and Lisa M. Luck (Liz), all of Groton, and Roger Luck Jr.(Debbie) of Salem; 11 grandchildren and their spouses, Tara (Brown) Klein (Nate), Joey Brown, Cheyenne Tracy, Philip Eastty (Amber), Katie Eastty, Joel Eastty, Emily Eastty, Mika Cormier, Mark Davis, Jeremy Luck and Ally Luck; nine great-grandchildren, Dakota, Cadence, Noah, Joseph, Amelia, Jay, Derrick , Aidan and Kharma. She is also survived by her first cousin, Janice Belcher of Cocoa, Fla. and many cousins left on the Reservation.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Donna's memory to the New London Cancer Center, c/o The Guardian Fund, 196 Parkway South, Suite 303, Waterford, CT 06385.

The family wishes to thank the VNA of Waterford and the nurses, PCAs and staff on floor 6.2 at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital of New London for their personal attention and love shown to Donna.

A Celebration of Life will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 26, at the Groton Municipal Building. Burial will be private at a later date.